Cotton and polyester are two of the most dominant fibres in the textile world. Cotton is a natural fibre coming from the seedpod of the cotton plant and has been in existence for thousands of years. Polyester, having been created in the 1940s is a synthetic fibre made from a chemical reaction involving petroleum, air, and water. Some say the best of both worlds is a blend of 50 per cent cotton and 50 per cent polyesters you can have the softness of cotton with the increased durability of polyester. This art in depth.

Cotton vs Polyester: Introduction

Harvested from plants grown annually, cotton fibres are composed of pure cellulose. Cotton is known for its comfort and breathability but few people know that its absorbency comes from how it is processed.

Polyester is a synthetic fabric that’s usually derived from petroleum. This fabric the world’s most popular synthetic textile, and it is used in thousands of different consumer and industrial applications.

Chemically, polyester is a polymer primarily composed of compounds within the ester functional group. Most synthetic and some plant-based polyester fibres are made from ethylene, which is a component of petroleum that can also be derived from other sources. Polyester production and use contribute to environmental pollution around the world.

Cotton and Polyester: Similarities

• Both are easy to manipulate – they both withstand heat, bleaching, and detergents.

• Both can be dyed any colour.

• Both have a huge range of applications from apparel to homewares.

• Both are on the lower end of the fabric price spectrum.

Cotton and Polyester: Differences

• Cotton is a natural material whilst polyester is synthetic.

• Polyester is stronger than cotton, due to its chemical makeup, with a greater ability to stretch.

• Polyester is hydrophobic and for this reason, fabrics made with polyester don’t absorb perspiration. Cotton on the other hand absorbs moisture.

• Cotton is more breathable than polyester and also extremely hypoallergenic. Those with sensitive skin tolerate 100 per cent cotton better than polyester. With organic products becoming increasingly popular, you can find cotton fabric made with very little chemical processing.

• Polyester is more wrinkle and stain resistant than cotton and fades less.

• Polyester can cling to the skin, unlike cotton which feels great against the skin.

• Polyester dries quicker than cotton.

• Cotton fabrics shrink after their first wash unless they have been previously treated against this. Polyester doesn’t shrink and retains its shape better than cotton.

• Polyester holds on to doors more than cotton, so needs to be washed more frequently. Body doors can be hard to get out even after washing.

Cotton vs Polyester: Environmental Impact

Cotton can be a sustainable fabric depending on how it is grown. Organic cotton uses no harmful pesticides.

Cotton is biodegradable, even conventionally grown cotton, whereas polyester takes hundreds of years to degrade.

However, conventional cotton farming uses the most pesticides of any crop in the world. Every time it rains or the plant decomposes, chemicals leak into the groundwater and surrounding waterways. Cotton takes a lot of land and water to grow and needs to be harvested using motorized farming equipment. So all-in-all cotton demands significant land, water, and energy resources.

Overall, polyester harms the environment at every stage in its production, and it inevitably accumulates in the world’s ecosystems and oceans with no viable methods for removing it. The advent of plant-based polyester fibre would seem to be a step toward reversing this unfortunate state of affairs, and the introduction of pet offers a way to deal with waste polyester and plastic bottles. It remains unclear whether these alternatives to petroleum-based polyester will gain enough traction within the textile market to make an impact on the polluting effects of polyester.

Cotton vs Polyester: Applications

Cotton fabric is one of the most widely used fabrics in the world. It is used in everything from bedding to socks to coffee filters. Also, cotton fibres can be woven together to create completely new fabrics such as velvet, corduroy, flannel, jersey, and denim. Cotton, however, does not work as well in outdoor gear due to its high absorbency and lack of water resistance. For this reason, polyester trumps cotton for outdoor clothing and gear.

Polyester as the number one man-made fabric in the world also has a wide variety of applications - from jackets to scarves to backpacks. It is a great outdoor fabric - polyester jackets, hoodies, and sleeping bags keep you warm on a cold hike. And its water-resistance will keep you dry. It performs very well in different weather conditions and is long-lasting and durable. Polyester insulation and fleece are a popular use for polyester also.

Cotton vs Polyester: Conclusion

We have compared the similarities and differences between these two fibres. They offer very different properties and for this reason, are often blended together. Cotton has an environmental edge since it is natural and biodegradable. But both fibres are incredibly versatile with diversified applications. If you want a comfortable breathable t-shirt or crisp fresh bed sheets, then 100 per cent cotton would be the go-to. If you want protection from the elements during a camping expedition, you’ll want to reach for polyester garments, preferably from sustainable PET or plant-based sources.